The South-East Governors' Forum has indicated interest to partner the Ohanaeze Ndigbo in its drive to industrialise the region and make it an investment haven.
Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, stated this during a consultative meeting with members of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Council of Igbo Business Leaders at the Government House, Owerri, yesterday.
Uzodimma, who said that his state is ready for business and eager to receive investors with the requisite know-how and technology in gas exploration, commended the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation for constituting the council.
He expressed the readiness of the forum to support the lofty objectives of the council, which include the identification of young Igbo entrepreneurs and groom them towards mega business ventures; instituting a united and credible voice capable of speaking for the business community in Igbo land; liaising with international, national, regional, state agencies with a view to creating an enabling and conducive environment for investments in Igbo land, among others.
He said: “I am impressed by the calibre of the delegation, which include Alex Chika Okafor of Chicason Group; Frank Nneji of ABC Transport Group; Johnson Chukwu of Cowrie Assets; Darl Uzuh of Enyimba Economic City and Lady Josephine Nwaeze, among other distinguished Igbo business leaders and professionals.
“With this kind of group led by our patriotic, experienced and versatile leader and corporate giant, Sam Ohuabunwa, I am sure Ohanaeze made a good decision in setting up this formidable team.
Chairman of the Council of Igbo Business Leaders, Sam Ohuabunwa, noted that the council's terms of reference show that the apex Igbo body needed it to work with governments of the region to enhance economic development and integration.
He observed that the unwillingness of Igbo businessmen and industrialists to invest in the South-East had brought untold neglect and hardship in the region, while boosting the economies of other regions of the country.
While commending the forum for its efforts at stabilising the economy of the South-East, Ohuabunwa, who was the immediate past President of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), said: “It is our view that we should see Igbo land as a region with more commonalities than differences, and so propose that the region can have common investment policies and practices. We are essentially a homogeneous group and should be able to work together to leverage and better compete with other regions of Nigeria.”
